HoopsHype.com Rumors

Adrian Wojnarowski: The NBPA player rep vote on Billy Hunter's ouster was 24-0, sources tell Y! Apparently, six teams weren't represented at meeting. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Gary Washburn: The NBPA expects a lawsuit from Billy Hunter and they are 99 percent likely to get one. This is far from over #nbpa Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Jonathan Feigen: Fisher: "We do not doubt this process will continue in an ugly way." OK then. Twitter @Jonathan_Feigen

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Says one official in NBPA meeting: "LeBron really stepped up, led the charge. His voice was heard. It was great, and it was important." Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Sam Amick: Media, particularly @Brian Mahoney, stunned as Derek Fisher doesn't field questions about unanimous vote to oust Billy Hunter. Twitter @sam_amick

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Billy Hunter has been voted out as NBPA executive director, sources tell Y! Sports. Twitter

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Player reps voted in decisive manner to oust Hunter, sources tell Y! LeBron James spoke in meeting, insisting the union needed overhaul. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Adrian Wojnarowski: LeBron and Jerry Stackhouse were two of most vocal players in union rep meeting, sources say. Stack directed ire at president Derek Fisher. Twitter @WojYahooNBA

Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, LeBron James, Derek Fisher, Jerry Stackhouse, NBPA 

Ken Berger: If tenor of agent meeting today is any indication, it's over for Billy Hunter. "Hunter is done," one person in meeting said. Twitter @KBergCBS

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Ken Berger: At meeting here in Houston, Paul-Weiss lawyers just finished presenting summary of Billy Hunter report to player agents. Twitter @KBergCBS

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Embattled NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter has taken to the Internet to present his case to remain in his post after he was not invited to Saturday’s union meeting here that is expected to determine his future as director. Through a series of blog posts at http://gbillyhunter.blogspot.com, Hunter offered a rebuttal, stating that his contract is legal under Delaware law, where it was consummated; that he did not commit any illegal acts during his tenure, such as steal or embezzle funds; and that his administrative leave of absence was not fairly executed because the entire executive committee did not vote. Boston Globe

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

The players association will meet Saturday afternoon, at which time representatives of every team are expected to voice their vote about whether Hunter should be removed. Hunter insists he has been banned from making a statement to the players at that gathering. “We have been asking for two weeks if we can come. The message from the interim executive committee was you are not coming,” said Michael Carlinsky, one of Hunter’s attorney’s. “On every call I have raised this issue of attending with their lawyers and they have said consistently you can continue assuming you are not coming. How convenient it is for the lawyers now to be suggesting they have not definitely told us one way or other, where for two weeks we’ve been asking. This is just convenience on their side because we understood their message to be you can’t come.” Boston Globe

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Saturday afternoon, at the annual NBPA All-Star Weekend meeting, the Paul-Weiss law firm would be available to answer the players’ questions about Hunter, Fisher wrote in an email obtained by Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Daily. The prosecutor will answer questions in defense of the defendant. “I give (Derek) a round of applause for being able to pull off this stunt and pull the wool over everyone’s eyes,” former NBA veteran Maurice Evans told me late Thursday night. “If he wants the union that bad — let him and Ron Klempner and Jamie Wior — they can have it.” FOXSports.com

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Maurice Evans 

Evans, 34, was an executive vice president at the NBPA. He was perhaps the player and union rep closest to Hunter during the 2011 lockout and its aftermath. Evans is Hunter’s staunchest defender. After nine NBA seasons — he played last year with the Wizards — the career-long role player couldn’t find a job this season, which meant his role in the union ended. “Without a doubt, I know me not being in the league has something to do with my support of Billy Hunter,” Evans said. “I’m fully comfortable not playing in the NBA ever again.” FOXSports.com

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Maurice Evans 

In November of 2011, Fisher threatened to sue me for writing that members of the union confronted him concerning his relationship with Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver. “Of course (the players) have questions about Derek,” Evans said. “But Derek has done a great job of being on the offensive and only pointing the finger at Mr. Hunter. (Derek) has been busy throwing darts and throwing dirt at (Hunter) that nobody has ever taken the time to stop and ask what is Derek’s motive. What really went on in Dallas that he left to go and say now all of sudden he has family issues, he misses his family? “Now all of sudden what really happened? We voted him out 8-0 as president and yet he still stayed on, didn’t blink twice and came back with Paul-Weiss, and now they’re running the union.” FOXSports.com

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Maurice Evans, Adam Silver 

Billy Hunter’s 16-year stewardship of the players union is likely to end Saturday afternoon in a hotel conference room where more than 30 players are expected to gather, deliberate and ultimately fire their longtime executive director. Hunter, 70, will not be present to defend himself when his fate is decided. He was accused of nepotism and a wide range of questionable business practices in a 469-page independent audit released last month. Hunter is also under investigation by the United States attorney’s office, the Labor Department and New York’s attorney general. New York Times

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Steve Novak, the Knicks' alternate player representative, said the purpose of Saturday's meeting is to "make sure everybody has the same information and decide what that information means." But Novak said Hunter should be given the opportunity to present his side to the players who will decide his future. "I don't think any decision should be made without both sides, on any issue," Novak said. "Obviously, the reports have come out and guys have all seen that and that's from one side. I think as a union and him being our representative for so many years, it wouldn't be right not to hear from both sides." CBSSports.com

New York Knicks, Billy Hunter, NBPA, Steve Novak 

The Spurs' Matt Bonner, one of the five interim committee members who voted to put Hunter on leave, said he'd read Hunter's rebuttal and added, "Personally, I already know his side of things." "I think I have a good grasp of both sides of the story to make an educated decision on how to move forward," Bonner said. "I think a lot of players are in the same boat. ... I think players will be informed on both sides regardless of whether Billy is able to make a presentation or not." CBSSports.com

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Billy Hunter, NBPA 

The rebuttal, posted on a new website and signed by four attorneys from three law firms, takes the Paul-Weiss report to task for a "lack of objectivity" and for being "rife with inaccuracies." "If Mr. Hunter ever needs to address the report line-by-line and point-by-point, he will do so," his attorneys wrote. But not during All-Star weekend. One of Hunter's attorneys, Michael Carlinksky of Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, said in a statement that Hunter would not be attending the players' meeting in Houston Saturday after being told repeatedly that he would not be welcome. "We have been asking for two weeks if we can come," Carlinsky said. "The message from the interim executive committee was you are not coming." CBSSports.com

Billy Hunter, NBPA 

Q: How long do you think a search for a new executive director should take? Tellem: The search for a new director need not be quick, nor should it be a popularity contest. To make the best possible choice, patience is required. Ideally, the process would extend through the summer so that the candidate or candidates can meet with key players during the offseason. To do less than this -- to speed the process unwisely -- might only compound the current problem. Considering that a long-time labor agreement is already in place, whoever is hired must protect labor rights while working with (NBA Deputy Commissioner & COO) Adam Silver and the league to grow revenue. Sports Business Daily

Billy Hunter, NBPA, Arn Tellem, Agents